Tree plantations tipped to treble

Commercial tree plantations on private land will become an even bigger feature of Victoria's rural landscape. A new State Government report predicts plantations will treble in size by 2020.

An $8 million private forestry strategy released today by Environment Minister Sherryl Garbutt forecasts Victoria's private plantations will increase from 250,000 to 750,000 hectares over the next 18 years.

Ms Garbutt said the state's plantation industry had the potential to create 10,000 jobs and generate $6 billion a year.

"There are more than six million hectares that could support this expansion, equating to less than an 8 per cent change in current rural land use," she said.

Vast areas of prime farming land, particularly in the state's west, have been transformed into tree plantations over the past decade, causing tension in some rural communities.");document.write("